Couple things you have to know when trying to improve the circulation to your feet when you are a Diabetic. First thing is to physically improve your circulation. The other is to use drugs or supplements to improve it. I will take a look at each and try to give some info on their differences.
To physically improve the circulation to your feet there are a few ways to do this. One way is to change your socks to diabetic specific socks that are non binding and do not inhibit the flow of blood. Shoes do the same thing so make sure your shoes are not binding.
Another way to physically improve circulation is by rubbing your feet. This helps in the short term by moving the blood around, and it feels pretty good too. The long term way to help circulation is to do an aerobic activity that raises the heart rate for 20 or more minutes each day. This will keep your heart stronger to pump the blood as well as help control blood pressure which has a huge effect on circulation.
On to the pills that help, there are many and my endocrinologist put me on lisinipril to keep my blood pressure down as a preventative. Blood pressure medications have many side-effects and benefits and you will need to go over those with your doctor. As for supplements, well know one really knows for sure what is the best but here are a few that I have turned up in my research.
Vitamin C: For the immune system but is supposed to also aid in inflammation of the blood vessels if taken with natural fish oil supplement. It is supposed to be like taken Advil without the pain reliever part. It just does the anti-inflammatory part. Sounds pretty good, and it works pretty good at that too as it does decrease my arthritis joint pain in my feet by reducing the swelling.
Vitamin B-12: Some people think this raises their blood pressure and increases appetite as farmers do give it to cows to raise body weight. But the benefit is the supposed nerve repair aid that b-12 gives to your body. Patients with neuropathy have reported good recovery results (at least on websites) when taking B-12. It is cheap enough to give it a try I guess.
Vitamin D: Your body produces D if you are in the sun for 15 or 20 minutes a day to get your recommended daily dose. I am a computer guy and my doctor told me to take double the RDA for Vitamin D. You are suppsed to take it with Calcium too as they will complement each other in benefits. I take both as my diet is deficient in both. Not for circulation but for overall health.
Hopefully this little bit of info I have given will at least peak your interest to go out and find out more info of things your can do to improve your circulation to your feet and improve your diabetic foot care so you can have a better quality of life.
